Valve stem for pneumatic tires



April 2, 1929. F. 'w. BENTON 1,707,840

VALVE STEM FOR PNEUMATIC TIRES- Filed Sept. '7, 1927 gnventoz Paid'mai-01a 5 of the valve Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES P FRANK W. BENTON, 0F WILSON, NORTH CAROLINA.

VALVE STEM Foa PNEMATIC TIRES.

Application led September 7, 1927. Serial No. 217,993.

This invention relates to valves for pneumatic tires, and among theobjects thereof are to provide means to prevent the valve stem fromrotating, and to provide, at that end casing through which compressedair is admitted, means which are operable' to unseat thevalve or tosecure the valve against' its seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide a valve stem for thepurpose set forth so constructed as to exclude dust and dirt therefromand wherein the operatiorbis positive and certain.

With these and other-objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists inthe construction and arrangement of the several parts whichwill be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing p Fig. 1 is a transverseverticalsection of a valve casingand stem embodying the inven-l tion. Y

Fig. 2 is asimilar view with parts in different positions, and a dottedline indication showing the operation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved valve casing and stem'withtheparts in position as shown in Fig. 1. 4

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectioni'onthe line 4--4 Fig.v2. f

Fig. 5 is a horizontal the line being continued into a chamber 8z Thelower" '5--5 Fig. 2. L f The numeral 5, Figs. 1, 2, 3,;4 and 5,designates -a casing having a through the bottom thereof and into alarger bore 7 theupper .part of the larger bore 7 exterior portion of,lthe casing 5 is screwthreaded, as at 9, fg'r application to the tire'.Between the lower portion of the Abore 6, which communicates with thetireg and the larger bore 7, a shoulder 10 is formed and thereon isfitted a dog or washer 11 which is of the same diameter as the largerbore 7 and has right angular slots 12 therethrough, as shown by Fig. 10.At the upper end of the larger bore 7 a valve seat 13 is inserted, andis provided with a lower conical extremity 14 and a bore 15therethrough-which communicates with the larger bore 7 and also thechamber 8. The valve seat is exteriorly screw-threaded, as at 16, toengage corresponding threads 17 at the upper end ofthe larger bore 7,and in a recess 18 at the lower conical extremity 14 of the valve seatis a `duced in thickness,

bore opening packing gasket 19 which is inserted to form an air tightjoint. At the top of the valve seat 13 is a slotted key head20 whichfacilitates placement and removal of the valve seat, and is adapted toreceive a key or other device. In the chamber 8 a plug 22 is seatedandhas a bore 23 therethrough with a lower reduced extremity 24 which isscrew-threaded. The lower reduced extremity 24 of the bore 23 extendsthrough the plug 22 and provides means of communication with the lowerpart of the chamber 8, the bore 15 through the valve seat, the boremanner which will be hereinafter explained. The upper extremity of thecasing 9 is reas at l25, and a. shoulder 7, and the bore 6 in a 26 isthus formed to receive the lower edge K of the reduced wall 27 of thecap 2 8 which is internally screw-threaded, as at 29, to engagescrew-threads 30 at -the upper extrem- 1ty of the plug 22. vhis cap hasan upper reduced extremity 31 with a chamber 32 therein having a smallerdiameter at its lower portion 33, the upper extremity of the cap be--ing reduced and having a top with an inlet o enlng 34.. A gasket 35 isinserted between t e upper reduced extremity25 of the casing and theadjacent portion of the wall of the cap to form a tight joint at thispoint. The chamber 32 with its diametrical reduced portion 33communicates with the bore 23 of the plug 22 so that, when theparts arein open position, there will be a. through communication between thebore 6 and the chamber 32. Within the casing and'extending from the dogor washer 11 to near the. top of the plug 22 1s a main valve portion 37formed with an upper tubular stem 36, and a screw-threaded enlar ement38 at the base of the tubular portion 3 to movably engage the lowerreduced screw-threaded terminal 34 of the plug 22.

The enlargement 38 is flattened at diametrically opposite sides, asshown in Fig 4, and below the said enlargement '38 the stem is smoothand continues through the bore 15 of the valve seat, the said borecontinuing through the key bar 20. ThestemA 36 is provided with avalve39 having a lower spring seat or groove 40 to receive the upper end of aconvolute spring 41 bearing at its lower and enlarged end on the dog orwasher 11. The valve 39 has a washer 42 thereon which is jammed againstthe lower reduced conical extremity -14 of the valve s'eat 13, and fromthe spring terminal seat 40 the stem continues downwardly into aiattened head 43 which loosely extends through one'of the I Y crossslots 12 of the-dog or washer 11.

In the upper tubular portion- 37 of the valve stem 36 an auxiliary valvestem 44 1s longitudinally slidable and is surrounded by a spring 45which has its lower end bearing against the upper terminal of saidtubular portion 37 andits upper end bearing against a dome-shaped valve46 on the upper end of the auxiliaryv stem 44. The dome shaped valve 46cooperates with the opening 34 in the top of the upper reduced extremityof the cap 28.

The operation of the valve stem as above disclosed and shown by Figs. '1to 5 inclusive, is very simple. V,The valve tube being closed,

f when the cap 28 is rotated in one direction,

the screw-threaded enlargement 38 oit the valve stem 36 isdrawnupwa'rdly by its screw threaded engagement with the lower reducedthreaded portions 24 of the bore 23 of the plug 22. This operation drawsthe valve 39 with its gasket 42 tightly against the lower conicalextremity 14 of the valve seat 1 3, and the flattened head 43 Ao1 thevalvestem 36 is drawn upwardly, and the dome shaped valve 46 is forcedintoand closesthe opening 34 'I valve 39 for operation, the plug 22 isdrawn in the top of the cap 28 so as to prevent the entrance of dust andgrit into said opening the stem 44 being forced downwardly into thetubular portion 37 of the stem 36 against the resistance of the spring46 bearing against the underside of the said dome shaped valve 46 andthe upper terminal of the said tubular portion 37. The gasket 35 at theupper endl of the reduced wall 25 of the casing 5, bearing against theshoulder of the cap 28, produces a tight `joint at this point that. willprevent leakage of air therethrough from the tube. When the cap 28 isscrewed down its full limit the'valve 39 with its washer 42 is heldlirmly and positively against the lower -conical reduced extremity 14 ofthe-valve seat 13 and I the escape of .air from the tire is alsoobstructedat this point. The air is prevented from escaping around theseat 13 by the gasket 19, and a tight jointure throughout the entirevalve stem structure is provided, and thedome shaped valve 46 is held bythe spring 45 against the opening 34 until the cap 28 is rotated-in anopposite direction to release the enlargement 38 of the stem 36 fromlthe threaded reduced portion'24 of the bore 23 of the plug 22; Thisreleases the valve 46 and upwardly with the cap 28 in view of the tightconnection of the threaded jointure 30 between the said parts as shownby Fig. 2, and the auxiliarystem 44 is forced upwardly by the spring 45above its normal position y in the tubular stem 36, so that theldomeshaped valve cap 46 lis free for depression against the spring 45, andin turn the valve 39 is free to be unseated by compressed air introducedthrough the openings 34. this means a through passageI is openedthroughout the tightly against the seat 13. The harder the downwardscrewing of the cap 28 the tighter it pulls on the'main valve stem 36'carrying the said valve 39-and thereby a perfect seating -for thelatter valve is provided' with material advantages in the operation andetl'ec tivenessof the improved device.

It will be obvious that an air hose maybe connected in any suitable waywith 4the reduced extremity 31 of the cap 28.

' What is claimed as new is 1. 'In a deviceof the class specified, the

combination of a casing, an upper member mounted on the casing, a plugsecured to the said upper member, said upper member and 'plug havingopenings therethrough, a valve stem separably engaging a portion of theplug, an intermediate valve seat through which the stem movably extends,the -valve stem having a valve lthereonto engage the said intermediateseat and a lflattened head at its lower end, spring means urging saidvalve toward said intermediate seat, the

upper member of the casing being movable vertically on the main casingand carrying the plug therewith, the main casing and upper member havingcommunicating bores and chambers therethrough, a spring actuatedauxiliary stem 'and valve cooperating with the opening in theuppermember and slldable .in theupper portion of lthe main -valve stem, andalower slotted dog in which the said head of the valve stem mounted. 2.Ina device of the class setV forth, a casing having a lower main member,anupp'er is movably l member rotatable and `vertically movable on saidlower-member, a plug connected to the upper movable member and providedwith a.l bore having a. lower reduced threaded extremity, anintermediate. valve seat carried by said lower vmember, said uppermember,

main casing and valve seat having boresv therethrough, a valve stemhaving a threaded. portion to engage thelower reduced threaded extremityof the plug bore an intermediate valve carried by said stein to engagethe intermediate seat, a vertically movable valve for closing Athe boreof the upper member and having a stem loosely associated with said firstnamed valve stem, .a stem depending from said intermediate valve andhaving a lower flattened end, spring means urging said upper andintermediate valves toward their seats, and a slotted dog in which thelower flattened headof said depending stem is movably associated.

A3. A device of the character specified, comprising a casing having alongitudinal bore and a downwardly facing valve seat in said borebetween its opposite ends, a valvein said bore below and movable towardand away from said seat, a stemextending from kthe upper face of saidvalve through said valve seat7 a stein depending from the lower face ofsaid valve, means adjacent the lower end of said bore and in which saiddepending stem is longitudinally slidable but restrained againstrotation, a longitudinally bored member rotatable on the upper end ofsaid casing and having a downwardly facing valve seat at the u per endof its bore, a longitudinally bored) plug depending from said memberinto the upper-end of the bore of the easing, said plug and the upwardlyextending stem of said valve having interengaging means operative, whensaid meniber is rotated in one direction, to hold said valve against itsseat and, when said member is rotated in the opposite direction anddepressed, to cause said valve to move away from its seat, and a springseated valve in the bore of said member below the valve seatot thelatter and having a depending stem extending through the bore of saidplug in telescopic relation with the upwardly eX- tending stem of saidfirst named valve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. r

FRANK W. BENTON.

